A vehicle control method in a hybrid electric vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a battery, an electric motor, and a control unit. The method includes estimating an estimated vehicle velocity trajectory, estimating an initial engine power trajectory, simulating state of charge of the battery with the vehicle velocity trajectory and the initial engine power trajectory, estimating an initial terminal co-state value, simulating backward co-state dynamics using the state of charge and vehicle velocity trajectory, to obtain a resulting co-state trajectory. The co-state trajectory is used to solve a minimization control and propagate state of charge dynamics forward in time. The method includes updating control and the co-state trajectory, adjusting the terminal co-state value, and controlling a usage of the battery and the internal combustion engine. The method can be performed to optimize the engine power trajectory to minimize fuel consumption in real time.

A power controller of a hybrid vehicle includes: a first drive motor that drives any one of a front wheel and a rear wheel of a vehicle; an engine that drives the one wheel or the corresponding other one of the front wheel and the rear wheel of the vehicle through a clutch; a generator that is driven by the engine; and a voltage transformer that steps down generated electric power supplied to the first drive motor and a battery from the generator. The power controller limits passing power of the voltage transformer according to the temperature of the voltage transformer, and connects the clutch when the passing power of the voltage transformer is limited.

Systems and methods for operating a vehicle in an electric idle mode are presented. The vehicle electrical idle mode may be characterized as a mode where the vehicle's engine is off; the vehicle increases torque to vehicle wheels responsive to an application of an accelerator pedal, release of a brake pedal, or a vehicle occupant shifting a transmission; and the vehicle's battery supplies electrical energy to devices of the vehicle being operated by a vehicle occupant.

An engine control system for a vehicle includes a controller that initiates a start of the engine in response to a state of charge (SOC) of a battery falling below an engine start threshold, initiates a stop of the engine in response to the SOC exceeding an engine stop threshold, and adjusts a value of the engine start threshold based on whether a load remote from the vehicle is drawing power from the battery.

A vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor, an electrical storage device and a controller. The electric motor generates electric power by using driving force of the engine. The controller controls supply of electric power, which is at least one of electric power generated by the electric motor or electric power stored in the electrical storage device, to an outside of the vehicle. The controller selects, on the basis of setting made by a user, whether to permit or prohibit generation of electric power by using the driving force of the engine.

An electric vehicle includes: a vehicle drive apparatus configured to receive electricity to generate vehicle drive power and to generate electricity; a secondary battery that selectively receives and outputs electricity from/to the vehicle drive apparatus; a current sensor that selectively detects (a) an electric current to be input into the secondary battery and (b) an electric current output from the secondary battery; and an electronic control unit configured to control charging and discharging of the secondary battery, and configured to calculate, using a detected value from the current sensor, an evaluation value indicating a degree of deterioration of the secondary battery due to non-uniformity in salt concentration in the secondary battery caused by charging and discharging of the secondary battery. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a capacity-raising control in which a remaining capacity of the secondary battery is raised when the evaluation value reaches a prescribed threshold.

A vehicle control method in a hybrid electric vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a battery, an electric motor, and a control unit. The method includes estimating an estimated vehicle velocity trajectory, estimating an initial engine power trajectory, simulating state of charge of the battery with the vehicle velocity trajectory and the initial engine power trajectory, estimating an initial terminal co-state value, simulating backward co-state dynamics using the state of charge and vehicle velocity trajectory, to obtain a resulting co-state trajectory. The co-state trajectory is used to solve a minimization control and propagate state of charge dynamics forward in time. The method includes updating control and the co-state trajectory, adjusting the terminal co-state value, and controlling a usage of the battery and the internal combustion engine. The method can be performed to optimize the engine power trajectory to minimize fuel consumption in real time.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for operating a vehicle system comprising a motor, a battery, and a controller. The vehicle system is configured to provide at least one of regenerative braking wherein the motor operates to charge the battery and propulsion wherein the motor uses electrical power from the battery to propel the vehicle. The method includes, at the controller, determining an effective motor power at a motor speed and a motor torque. The effective motor power is determined based at least in part on a calculated motor power and an electrical power loss of the motor corresponding to the motor speed and the motor torque. The method further includes causing the motor to apply the motor torque to a wheel of the vehicle upon the effective motor power satisfying an operating condition of the vehicle system.

The disclosure is directed at a method and apparatus for an active convertor dolly for use in a tractor-trailer configuration. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a system to connect a tractor to a trailer. The apparatus further includes a charge generating system for translating the mechanical motions or actions of the dolly into electricity or electrical energy so that this energy can be used to charge a battery or to power other functionality for either the dolly or the tractor-trailer. The active dolly may also operate to assist in shunting the tractor-trailer.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a first motor, a planetary, the first motor, and a drive shaft, such that the first motor, the engine, and the drive shaft are arranged in this order in a collinear diagram, a second motor configured to be connected to the drive shaft, a power storage device configured to exchange an electric power with the first motor and the second motor. A braking force is applied to a vehicle by motoring the engine, in which fuel injection is stopped, by the first motor and/or regenerative driving of the second motor, when an accelerator is not operated. Motoring of the engine, in which fuel injection is stopped, by the first motor is limited, in a case where a deposition amount of particulate matter deposited on the filter is equal to or higher than a predetermined amount, when an accelerator is not operated.